


Fingers on my buttons and now you're playing.

by Cherrie



Category: Little Mix (Band), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Actor Louis, Alternate Universe - College/University, And since I don't know shit about NY, Bad Boy Zayn, But know a lot of shit about Glee, Cause I can't get out of my head how he looked at her, Dancer Louis, Drinking and smoking and partying all around, F/F, F/M, Foster care mentions, Foster family mistreatments tw, I borrowed school from Glee, I decided to borrow their New York set up, I made Jesy and Nathan into a couple, I wanted them to live in New York, Louis is a busy bee, M/M, Mentions of dead parents tw, More of a fwb kinda thing, More of a source of angst kinda thing, Musical theatre students, NYADA, Not a glee fic though, Past Perrie Edwards/Zayn Malik, Punk Harry, Punk Perrie, Punk Zayn, Singer Louis, So sue me, Tattoo Artist Zayn, Tattoo artist Harry, When they performed Secret Love Song that one time, Zayn and Harry are foster brothers, nothing major tho, nouis friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-09-16 20:21:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9288179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherrie/pseuds/Cherrie
Summary: Louis had limited time in his life for pleasures. He did not work his ass off all his life to get into the best Drama School in the bloody country, only to blow his scholarship and the tons of money his mom put into his dancing, singing, and acting lessons for partying or relationships. So that little son of a bitch should be grateful that Louis even gave him the time of day. And yet here he was, breaking up with him, claiming that Louis was not good enough. Well fuck that. And fuck him too. He would just go out and forget about the asshole. What could possibly go wrong?Or.Louis goes out with his friends after bad break up only to get royally pissed and get a tramp stamp by the world's cutest tattoo artist who has dimples and curly hair and seems as infuriarating as he is adorable.





	1. Sexy psycho and blue tinkerbell

**Author's Note:**

> So here I come with the next WIP. It started as filling Jaden's request for bad boy/punk Harry but where Jaden wanted a highschool setting and shy Louis I kinda get carrier away? So this is maybe half of what you wanted but! I started the highschool punk Harry shy Louis fic too, because come on, I'll never get enough of those cliches so it is coming! I promise ;)
> 
> Okay guys, hit me up on [Tumblr](http://exquisitetrouble.tumblr.com) with prompts or with whatever. Honestly I never shut up so new people to talk to are always appreciated since all my old people are getting tired :D
> 
> And most important, big thank you and a round of applause please, to my wonderful, star of a [beta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tempolarriefics) \- Serena, that was, I swear, hand made for me ! :D
> 
> Hope you like it guys, kudos, comments, subscribtions, bookmarks, everything is very highly appreciated! x.

‘Lou, he was an asshole.’ Jade said with sympathetic expression on her face.   
  


‘I know.’ Louis sighed, tying up his ballets.

 

‘So come on, don’t let him see you sweat.’ she nudged him lightly with her shoulder. 

 

‘I thought that the purpose of this class was to sweat.’ Louis smirked and put his leg on the bar, starting to stretch. 

 

‘Don’t be a smartass!’ Jade wiggled her fingers, putting her leg alongside Louis’.

 

‘Such language.’ Louis clicked his tongue.

 

‘Oh shush you. You look like someone killed your hamster and he can see that.’ Jade whispered.

 

‘J ease up. I am the one who was stupid enough to get involved with the TA, so now I have to live with seeing him all the time.’ Louis said, changing up his leg and stretching further.

 

‘He’s looking your way.’ Jade murmured through her teeth.

 

‘Oh I bet he is.’ Louis said placing both of his feet and his hands on the floor, spreading wide just to let the pretense of stretching linger even though all he was doing at this point was thrusting his ass up in the air. 

 

Jade looked at him horrified but Louis just jiggled it a little bit before standing up to look over his shoulders at Oliver - their TA - to see him adjusting himself slightly. Small victories. 

 

‘Okay listen up.’ Oliver said, clearing his throat a little. ‘The same routine as last time. In three’s across the floor. And please, try this time? I know you’re just second years but there’s no reason for you to be this horrible.’ he added as an afterthought.

 

Louis rolled his eyes and trotted across the floor with Jade. For the rest of the class there wasn’t a lot of time for conversation, but Louis could feel Ollie watching him from every corner. Break up in the evening, remorse for breakfast, is that it?

 

Louis was towelling his hair and face after class with his ballets thrown over his shoulders. He was talking to Jade when he heard a voice behind him. 

 

‘Louis can you linger for a second?’ Ollie asked, sending an impatient gaze to the few people still standing in the room. 

 

‘Sure.’ Louis smiled politely, turning around to his bag and taking out a water bottle. He put it to his mouth and stopped, getting an evil idea. 

 

‘Fuck!’ he exclaimed when water ‘accidently’ splashed all over his shirt. He fumbled with it for a second before sighing, taking it off, and stuffing it into his bag. He turned around with polite expression on his face to discover the room completely empty with just Ollie leaning against the closed door. 

 

‘I can name at least ten instances when this exact situation ended up with you getting an incredible orgasm’ he smirked leisurely, strolling closer to Ollie. 

 

‘Louis.’ Oliver sighed. 

 

‘What? It’s not why you asked me here?’ Louis asked, raising his eyebrows.

 

‘No.’ Oliver said softly, sounding like a disappointed dad. Kinky. ‘I’ve asked you here because I wanted to make sure we can stay professional’ he said, trailing his eyes over Louis’ naked chest and legging clad thighs way too slowly for it to be professional. 

 

‘Oh! Right!’ Louis noted, a little amused. ‘Because nothing says professional like asking me to stay after class to talk about how we used to fuck’ he said accenting his words with a smile that turned into icy glare at the end of the sentence. 

 

Oliver switched his weight from one leg to the other uncomfortably. ‘Don’t be crude on purpose’ he sighed, like Louis was a dog acting out in front of guests.

 

‘You used to love when I was crude on purpose.’ Louis shot back, whispering it into Oliver’s ear and making him shiver.

 

‘Louis…’ Ollie said with a warning tone in his voice. ‘We shouldn’t….’ he sighed, placing both of his hands on Louis’ hips and bringing him closer. Louis let himself be pulled for a second before going deliciously pliant under his touch, just the way Oliver always liked.

 

‘Oh’ he said after a second with faux confusion. ‘You didn’t think I would actually want to fuck you again?’ he asked amused. As he stepped back, he assessed Ollie for a while before bringing one hand to his mouth. ‘Oh! You did, didn’t you? That’s just sad’ he grinned and clapped Ollie on the arm before stepping out of the room. 

 

‘What the fuck happened in that classroom just now?’ Jade whisper-yelled. ‘You’re all smiley now. Did he give you a blow job just then?’ she asked, raising her perfectly plucked eyebrow. 

 

‘No, I just realized he’s pathetic.’ Louis grinned, walking beside her. 

 

‘JUST realised?’ Jade asked disbelievingly

 

‘Oh fuck off. He was hot when we started okay? He was older, a TA, and he wanted me, a first year. Of course I fucking fell for it.’

 

‘But then he turned out to be a sad social climber who is bending over for some old Broadway director to get the part of a dancing spoon.’ Jade snorted. ‘Yep that would be a boner killer for me too.’

 

‘First, you don’t have a dick. Second, we were never exclusive so he was allowed to bend over to whomever or whoever he wanted.’ Louis shrugged. 

 

‘Oh come on! You know that was not my point. I’m fine with screwing, I’m not fine with screwing for gain. For money? Sure, it’s a fair exchange, but him fucking this guy to get to the top takes away opportunities from other actors who don’t try to give head to get ahead.’

 

‘Your outrage is exquisite.’ Louis said, patting Jade’s head. ‘And I appreciate the crude language that’s crushing with your baby face’ he kissed her cheek. ‘But it’s done, he’s gone, and I can move on. Now let’s go to my locker to get me new shirt and then to lunch. They’re probably already waiting.’

 

‘They are.’ Jade said, looking at her phone. ‘LA texted me to hurry the fuck up.’

 

‘Her wish is my command.’

 

Louis put on the clean shirt he always kept in his locker, not bothering with the sweat that was still glistening on his body as he was used to it. He spent over a year and a half in the most challenging performance arts school in the country and before that he had spent his entire life in the dance studio sweating until he was nearly drowning in it or in front of the piano violating his vocal chords. Sweat he was familiar with.

 

‘Come here, young one. Lay your tired head on my lap. What do you need, baby? A shoulder to cry on? A handjob?’ Niall exclaimed upon seeing Louis in the cafeteria. ‘I can give you a hand but I draw a line at my mouth on your dick.’

 

‘Niall, shut the fuck up I wanted to eat and the mental image of you sucking my cock is making me nauseous.’ Louis laughed, patting Niall’s knee. 

 

‘That’s simply outrageous! I was just trying to help you!’

 

‘You just wanted to give him a hand?’ Liam snickered grinning. ‘You’re a filthy animal, Horan’ he added winking. 

 

‘Babe for a supposedly straight guy you think a lot about gay sex. Should I be worried?’ Leigh Anne said, sitting beside Liam and kissing his neck. 

 

‘I think about all kinds of sex baby, mostly with you in the main role.’ Liam cooed. 

 

‘God, you’re gross.’ Niall, Jade and Louis said all at the same time with the same facial expressions.

 

‘Just because you three weren’t in a relationship for years doesn’t mean we’re gross.’ Liam said grinning.

 

‘Um, I was in a relationship like right up until two days ago.’ Louis said, outraged.

 

‘Fucking doesn’t equal relationship.’ Leigh Anne noted, munching on her kale salad. 

 

‘We went to dinner once!’ Louis defended himself.

 

‘And you ended up taking a waiter home.’ Jade added apologetically. ‘They do have a point.’

 

‘But seriously Lou, are you okay?’ Niall whispered to him with worried glance. 

 

‘I’m fine Ni.’ Louis smiled. 

 

‘Still! We should go to Rascals today! Get you a power cleanser.’

 

‘I can get behind that.’ Jade nodded.

 

‘No wait,’ Louis said smiling mischievously ‘We always go to Rascals, I’m pretty sure I’ve made out with every even remotely cute guy in there. Let’s do something different. Let’s go to the Bone’ he grinned.

 

‘Bone? The creepy punk pub?’ Jade asked with huge terrified eyes.

 

‘Oh come on. It’s a bit sleazy, sure, but let’s just do something different today! Not the same old thing over and over again. Plus I kind of feel like getting a little sleazy’ he winked at the rest of them, challenge evident in his eyes.

 

‘Oh fuck it, let’s do it. If we end up robbed on the wrong side of the tracks at least we’ll be able to tease Louis about it for years after.’ Leigh Anne grinned. 

 

‘You do make a valid point.’ Niall said matter of factly.

 

‘Bone it is then!’ Liam smiled.

 

After lunch Louis had piano and his private signing session with Madam Theroux and then his shift at the diner. When he ran into the loft he shared with Jade and Niall late into the evening, he opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks.

 

Jade was standing in the middle of the living room wearing toul poodle skirt, her legs were tied up to her mid thigh in black boots, on her upper body she was only wearing a lace bra and a neon blue fur. She looked like some Madonna fantasy.

 

But that was nothing compared to what was standing next to her. Niall was wearing the tightest black leather pants and a loose black t-shirt that was exposing the milky skin of his neck and sharp cut of his collarbones. And if that wasn’t awfully hot already, Jade was applying eyeliner on his eyes. Louis had difficulties with picking his jaw off the floor. 

 

‘I thought today was supposed to be about me getting laid.’ Louis noted bitterly, closing his mouth and the door.

 

‘It is.’ Niall looked at him quizzically.

 

Like any gay guy ever is going to look at me when you look like that.’ Louis complained, waving in the vague direction of Niall. 

 

‘Oh baby!’ Niall cooed. ‘You’d hit that?’ he asked slapping his butt theatrically.

 

‘Asshole.’ Louis smirked, walking into his bedroom and mentally scanning his closet for anything that could outshine whatever he just saw. 

 

‘You’ll just have to bring your A game!’ Niall yelled after him smugly. 

 

-

 

‘Yep that’ll do it’ he noted about an hour after when Louis emerged from his bedroom wearing blue floral suit and silver see through vest.

 

‘I do what I can’ Lou said innocently.

 

‘You’re an asshole but I suppose it is about you today’ Niall said, patting his bum and pushing him out of the apartment. 

 

They took a taxi to the pub, figuring they would save enough money on cheap run down beer to splurge on a cab. They met Liam and Leigh Anne up front. 

 

The pub was surprisingly packed and the music was actually good. So they grabbed a booth and ordered a first round of beers followed quickly by a second one and then a third. Leigh Anne and Liam were making out in the corner, Jade had run off somewhere and probably met a girl, and Niall and Louis were drunk out of their asses. 

 

‘He’s just such an asshole, Niall.’ Louis slurred. ‘Like he is a little fame whore that is screwing some old fart and he has the audacity to say that I’m ruining his image?’

 

‘What kind of image that asshole thinks he has?!’ Niall yelled, outraged. Every time he got a little too much to drink, he started to yell. He never seemed to realise he was doing it and Louis never corrected him as his friend was adorable drunk. 

 

‘None, that’s kind of his problem. He thinks he needs some little prince musical theatre prodigy with connections so he can get on Broadway, or better yet little prince’s dad.’ Louis snorted.  ‘I’m no one and ‘white trash’ in his opinion.’ Louis said, acting nonchalant.

 

‘Since fucking when are you ‘white trash’?!’ Niall yelled, starting to blush with rage.

 

‘I told him things. Like he knows where I come from about my childhood and I know poor doesn’t even equal trashy but..’ Louis said sounding small and Niall felt his stomach turn upside down. 

 

‘But my butt! Oh hell no. You listen to me. Just because you were not brought up in Manhattan and your bio dad is an asshole doesn’t mean you’re trashy! You’re my best friend and you’re wonderful. You’re the most hard working, genuinely talented person I’ve ever met. You’re not trash. I will fucking clock him out next time I see him.’ 

 

‘A part of me just… maybe it’s stupid, but I spent months pretending to be someone I’m not in front of him, and then when I finally told him the truth he decided he can’t risk getting mixed with all of this. And I’m just, I’m not ashamed of what I come from, and I hate that he made me ashamed of it even for a second! So I just want to do something reckless and yeah a little trashy because why the fuck not? What’s wrong with being a little trashy sometimes?’ Louis said twisting his fingers nervously. 

 

‘So let’s do this! Come on, let’s do something reckless!’ Niall urged with sparkling eyes.

 

‘Like what?’ Louis asked tentatively.

 

‘Like I don’t know! Make out with someone who has a dick piercing! Or drink absinth or get a tattoo!’ Niall laughed throwing his head back, and Louis stopped dead in his tracks. 

 

‘Niall, that’s it!’ he yelled, jumping up and down on his seat. 

 

‘What are you talking about?’ Niall asked, puzzled. 

 

‘I’m gonna get a tattoo!’ Louis answered excited. 

 

‘No, you won’t.’ Jade laughed, coming behind them out of nowhere and throwing herself on the couch next to Louis closely followed by a girl with pink hair, piercings, and a maze of tattoos. ‘This is Perrie’ Jade introduced her, bringing her closer by her waist. 

 

‘Hello Perrie.’ Louis giggled kissing Perrie’s hand. ‘And I will J. I’m gonna get a tramp stamp on my ass!’ Louis exclaimed. 

 

‘Are you kidding me?!’ Jade yelled. 

 

‘Oh come off it! No one is ever gonna see it on my ass!’

 

‘Well that is just a blatant lie.’ Niall coughed beside him, wiggling his eyebrows. 

 

‘Fine.’ Louis rolled his eyes. ‘It will be seen by some people, but it won’t be seen at like auditions so it won’t jeopardize my career! Come on I want to get a peach emoji on my ass!’

 

‘If you want to, I work at a tattoo studio nearby. Harry and Zayn are probably working waiting for drunks like you to come in. I probably could get you a discount.’ Perrie shrugged. 

 

‘See?! This is helpful!’ Louis exclaimed, motioning towards Perrie. ‘Let’s go!’

 

‘Go where?’ Liam asked ungluing himself from Leigh.

 

‘To a tattoo parlor!’ Louis said, clapping his hands.

 

‘To a tattoo parlor.’ Leigh Anne dead panned.

 

‘Yes! Let’s go!’ Louis yelled, completely ignoring the lack of enthusiasm from his friends. 

 

‘Just go with it.’ Niall whispered conspiratorially and Louis pretended to not hear him. 

 

‘Yeah…  think we’re gonna skip it.’ Leigh Anne said tugging onto Liam’s collar. 

 

‘Okay, am I the only one who thinks this is insane?’ Jade said looking at them all with the mixture of terror and expectancy. 

 

‘Oh, come on Jade! Live a little, your friend will get a free tattoo and guess who happens to live right upstairs from the studio’ Perrie murmured into Jade’s ear placing a strategic hand on Jade’s hips. Before she even stopped talking, Jade was already moving towards the door. ‘To the tattoo parlor it is!’

 

Perrie laughed and moved after Jade. ‘Follow us boys!’ she yelled over her shoulder. 

 

The walk to the parlor wasn’t that long especially since Louis was able to convince Niall that his broken heart was too much to bear and he had to give him a piggy back ride all the way there. Which may have not been a good idea because when Niall stepped into tattoo studio he dropped Louis’ legs, and maybe if Louis wasn’t drunk he would just cling to him like a koala but in his current state he just went down like a dead weight. 

 

Niall was still standing in the doorway while Louis was laying on the floor massaging his ass.

 

‘YOU DROPPED ME!’ he exclaimed and when he still didn’t hear an apology out of Niall he looked to his line of vision and saw a literal Greek God watching them amusedly from the couch.

 

‘Of course’ he sighed ‘You see a pretty boy and your brain just STOPS.’ Louis said annoyed.

 

‘Zayn, this is Jade and her friends. Blue tinkerbell wants a tattoo.’

 

‘Blue tinkerbell.’ Louis mused ‘That is a great nickname!’ He exclaimed after.

 

‘So we have Jade, Blue tinkerbell and who are you?’ Zayn asked raising a suggestive eyebrow at Niall. 

 

‘I’m a .. I’m Niall’ He stuttered out blushing.

 

‘Pretty.’ Zayn mused, caressing Niall’s cheek briefly with his forefinger. ‘Red suits you’ he smiled a little seeing the blush on Niall’s cheeks only deepening. ‘I can’t do tattoo, check with Harry upstairs, I have an appointment.’ He said, stepping back and facing Perrie.

 

‘Oh, an appointment?’ she asked, raising a suggestive eyebrow. 

 

‘Luke. Not like you’re free’ he replied, giving Jade a slow and not at all subtle once over.

 

‘I’m not’ she said a little vindictively. ‘I’ll go find Harry,’ she said addressing Jade and with quick peck to her cheek she moved to another room. 

 

‘Well, make yourself at home.’ Zayn said, turning around completely unfazed and stopping a bit in front of Niall just to smile at him slowly before disappearing outside. 

 

‘Well that was weird.’ Louis noted, looking between Jade and Niall. ‘On so many levels?’ When he still didn’t get any reaction, he turned to them puzzled. ‘Your girlfriend has something going on with a guy that has Niall speechless? Weird sexual tension moment? Weird we’re sleeping together and pretend like it’s casual moment?’ Louis explained.

 

‘They’re not pretending to be casual, they are casual.’ Said a guy who had just strolled into the room, all tattoos, headscarves, huge biceps, tight pants, black nails and jewellery. ‘Jade, is it? Nice to meet you. I’m Harry; Perrie asked me to tell you that she’s waiting in her room.’ he smiled, dimpling. Damn, dimples. ‘Through that room and upstairs,’ he said, guiding her gently.

 

‘Thanks Harry,’ she smiled ‘I’m gonna find my own way home guys’ she said, winking at Louis and going upstairs. 

 

‘So one of you wanted a tattoo?’ Harry asked, looking between Niall and Louis. ‘Maybe more looking for a pattern and less bad mouthing my friends behind their backs?’ he said then, shooting Louis a death glare. He probably thought he was being terrifying but come on, how terrifying can you be when you have dimples and pink lips. He looked like a cherub. 

 

‘Oh come on, it’s not bad mouthing if it’s true.’ Louis rolled his eyes. ‘Ni, close your mouth - Zayn already left. Just sit on the couch and wait yeah? We’ll go home after’ he smiled at his friend while Harry prepared the chair. ‘I want a peach emoji on my ass. In the size of actual peach emoji.’ he added then dropping his pants, practically flashing Harry before climbing to get onto the chair and laying on his belly.

 

‘You do realise that I didn’t need to see your dick for that, right?’ Harry asked, looking at Louis with bored expression. 

 

‘You didn’t have to, but you’re welcome!’ Louis smiled, completely unfazed. Harry prepared the gun and before he even got a chance to put it into Louis’ skin, Louis started to talk again.

 

‘So care to enlighten me what’s going on between your friends? Cause if Jade is just here for some kind of creepy plot to make Armani model jealous I’m so not down with that.’

 

‘I don’t know what kind of plot Perrie has in mind, maybe she just thinks Jade is hot.’ Harry shrugged, painting the first line on Louis. 

 

‘Well you should know, they are your friends.’ Louis said, feeling a gloved hand stretching the skin on his butt. It probably shouldn’t be as arousing as it was.

 

‘Zayn is my brother actually.’ Harry commented offhandedly.

 

‘Seriously? Jesus Christ, who are your parents? That is an outrageous amount of good looking genes you have there buddy.’ Louis said, wiggling around to take a look at Harry again.

 

‘We’re not related. He’s my foster brother.’ Harry said ‘What’s your name?’ he asked then, wanting to change the subject.

 

‘Louis’ he answered, figuring that the topic of foster care was way too tough for him right now. ‘I would shake your hand but it’s currently occupied with groping my ass’ he smirked instead.

 

‘That’s a great ass.’ Harry noted with a little twitch to his mouth.

 

‘Completely unprofessional.’ Louis muttered, smiling. ‘So Harry, give me a story here! What’s with your brother and Perrie? Were they like a thing?’

 

‘It really isn’t any of your business.’ Harry whispered, getting a little annoyed.

 

‘I think it is considering my best friend is upstairs with this girl, and I want to know if she’s gonna get hurt.’ Louis said with drunken persistence.

 

‘I think you’re friend is a big girl and you’re not her keeper.’ Harry snapped.

 

‘I think you’re just some stranger and it’s not for you to decide who is her keeper.’ Louis shot back getting fired up, like as usual when someone was snapping at him. 

 

‘God, obviously that ass plus a bearable personality would be too much to ask.’ Harry said rolling his eyes. 

 

‘Well get a feel, baby, while you still can’ Louis mocked. 

 

For a few minutes Harry worked in quiet. ‘I’m done’ he said finally when Louis had already started to doze off a little ‘I put foil on it, considering it’s on your bum and you’ll probably be sitting on it a lot. Don’t remove it until it’s healed. Wash it with just water few times a day and put the ointment after every wash. Also there will be skin coming off, don’t tug on it! You look like the type to.’ he said, standing up.

 

‘Great! How does it look?’ Louis said, twisting his upper body to look at his ass.

 

‘Idiotic. Fits you just right.’ Harry smirked mockingly at him.

 

‘Perfect. That’s exactly what I was going for.’ Louis grinned right back. ‘So how much do I owe you?’ he asked, putting his pants back on. 

 

‘Nothing.’ Harry shrugged.

 

‘Oh come on! I have to pay you something.’ Louis insisted.

 

‘No charge. And don’t look at me like that. Perrie’s idea.’ Harry shrugged. ‘Guess she really likes your friend’ he said walking closely by Louis. ‘Take blonde muffin home, he’s sleeping on my couch’ he yelled over his shoulder.

 

‘Looking good walking away baby!’ Louis yelled after him for the sheer pleasure of imagining the look on his face.

 

‘Come on cupcake, let’s go home’ he said tugging onto Niall.

 

The room slowly came into focus. Louis could feel stickiness in his throat and something wet on his lower back. He swallowed his saliva, trying to get his throat moist, but it didn’t work one bit. With still just one eye open he moved his hand over his bed to feel for his phone. He let out a victorious grunt when he found it and brought it closer to his face. His screen welcomed him with the picture of him and Jade from their biggest show yet - an off off Broadway revival of Cats. It was obviously horrible but still Louis had felt like a king when he won the audition. Then his eyes landed on the clock and he raised on his arms violently, making something roll from him. It was 1 pm and he was supposed to have been practicing since forever. He tried to stand up and saw that the thing that was rolling off him and probably also drooling on his ass all night was Niall.

 

‘Horan why are you in my bed?’ he demanded loudly and winced at the volume. 

 

‘We didn’t fuck if that’s what you’re worrying about so no need to shout.’ Niall said, scrunching his face.

 

‘I know we didn’t fuck, Lucky Charm. But your bed is like one door down, there was absolutely no reason for you to sleep in mine.’

 

‘Your ass is more comfortable than my pillow.’ Niall mumbled rolling into himself. 

 

It would probably take Niall a few hours to fully wake up so Louis decided to let him be. He would be in the studio already before Niall would finally move. He went to the kitchen and somewhere in the living room his brain finally registered a weird crispy sound. He stopped dead in his tracks, wracking his brain for some kind of explanation before his eyes went wide and his hands moved to feel his bum. And there it was. Foil covering his freshly made tattoo. Holy shit! As soon as the thought entered his head he was on the floor giggling like a madman. That’s how Jade saw him few minutes later.

 

‘What the fuck Lou?’ she asked, a little bored considering this wasn’t the first time she opened the door to see Louis in some weird predicament on the floor. 

 

‘I just remembered I got a tattoo.’ Louis giggled one last time. ‘Speaking of which, thank your girlfriend for convincing Harry to give me a tattoo for free. If you ever see her again that is, since you’re doing a pretty convincing version of the walk of shame’ he said turning to lay on his belly, resting his head on his hand and waving his legs in the air. Innocent little angel. 

 

‘Not ashamed of anything.’ Jade said looking at him to let him know she won’t be taking any shit ‘In fact I’m… I’m great’ she said then with an absent gaze, a little confused smile overtaking her face.

 

‘Sex was that good?’ Louis smirked.

 

‘We didn’t have sex.’ Jade shrugged ‘We talked, kissed a little, she’s all kinds of amazing actually’ she added dreamily.

 

‘Oh god you’re crushing on her so hard.’ Louis laughed fondly

 

‘She’s funny, and good and really really pretty. I’d be an idiot if I wasn’t into her’ she admitted, rolling her eyes. 

 

‘What about um.. What about that dude? Zayn? I know I was pretty pissed but they seem to have something going on.’ Louis said quietly. 

 

He hated to be the one to burst the bubble but Jade was a hopeless romantic and when she fell, she fell hard and fast and for a long time. She never did anything half-assed. So when she fell in love with someone it took her years to get over them.

 

‘We talked about it a bit.’ she admitted ‘They’ve been hooking up for few months and she started to have feelings for him.’

 

'Okay… so…’ Louis started hesitantly. 'What is happening now? I mean, will you see her again?’ 

 

'Yes, we actually made plans for today’ she smiled

 

'Don’t kill me please, I just worry, but are you sure it's a good idea? Do you want to start with someone who still has feelings for someone else?’ he asked, moving to sit a little closer to her.

 

'I do. I want to start with her because I was her. Few months back? With Karlie? Sometimes I still think I am her. Because if you would have asked me now, I couldn't tell you that I’m over Karlie one hundred percent. But I know that she’s not good for me and I know that she's way too hung up on Taylor to ever give me what I need, and Perrie knows that Zayn doesn’t love her and he never will so it’s fine, because she wants to move on and she wants to be happy with someone else.’

 

'I just don’t want you to get hurt. What if one of those days he decides that he does love her? What’ll happen then?’ he asked quietly, voicing out loud every concern Jade had in her mind.

 

'You think I didn’t think about it? I walked here all the way from her place because I needed time to think. And I know that there is a possibility that she’ll get up and leave at any point when he just as much as blinks at her. But I mean for now we’re just hanging out and if we ever, because God knows what’s going to happen, but if we ever become something more I want to believe that I would have more faith in her than that. I would like to think that I wouldn’t be serious with someone I don’t trust.’ Jade shrugged.

 

'Long story short, you’ve made up your mind and there’s nothing I can say to convince you otherwise.’ Louis smiled knowingly.

 

'Do you want to?’ she asked, all serious.

 

'No. I’m your friend, not your owner. I respect you enough to know you can make your own decisions and just be here for you when you make a wrong one.’ Louis smiled, cuddling up to her.

 

'You think this is a wrong one?’ 

 

'I don’t know. I can’t see the future, but if you think it’s worth exploring I agree’ he shrugged.

 

'Good ‘cause I don’t know what to wear. I need your input’ she smiled.

 

'Well you have me for about half an hour because then I have training. I’m already hours late’ he said standing up. 'I’ll be in a shower so pick something and show me, I’ll yell you what I think’ 

 

'Lou, you can’t be late for the training session with you. You do realise that the world won’t implode when you give yourself a day off.’ she said with just a hint of worry in her voice.

 

'World won’t, but my career will’ he sing songed and escaped to the bathroom not wanting to hear anything more of what she had to say.

 

He knew that look on her face - it was the same one all of his friends exchanged when he worked almost 20 hours a day alternating between a diner to pay his bills, classes, and his own training sessions he enforced on himself. They all thought he was overworking himself but he knew better. He knew his limits and he spent his entire life with one goal and one goal only - to get to Broadway. So now that he had gotten into NYADA, it was not time to slow down. 

 

That’s why he only took twenty minutes to shower, eat something light, and pick Jade’s outfit before he was off running to the subway. School was mostly empty on the weekends, but students were allowed to use rooms to practise and that was exactly what he had in mind. 

 

He stretched as quickly as he could, but not didn’t rush himself knowing that bad stretching habits could lead to injuries. He then practised a routine for his dance class, the one he was suppose to perform to pass the course. He had been stuck on one movement for weeks now, unable to make it work, and this day wasn’t any different. He knew how he wanted to start and finish it but didn’t know how to go from one to the other and everything he tried was too cliche or not creative enough or simply didn’t fit the music. Louis was getting frustrated and sweaty, but it didn’t stop him from trying again and again until he collapsed on the floor exhausted.

 

He reached to his bag sitting on the floor his legs spread wide and leaned in to get the water bottle. He drank few small sips and continued post training warm up. He looked at his phone; it was already way past seven pm, so he decided that he could go home early just this once.

 

Before he was finished stretching, he saw a tall quiff popping into the studio.

 

'Hello twatshaw’ he cheered 

 

'Hello bumlinson’ his friend Nick answered happily. His and Nick’s friendship had solid pillars in mutual insults and Nick’s crush on Louis, what could he say? He loved the attention. 

 

'What are you doing here this fine evening?’ Louis asked leaning a bit to the left and pulling his right hand over his head, bending his body.

 

'I was actually looking for you. I have a project that I think you would be perfect for, and I thought maybe you'd like to audition.’ Nick smiled sitting crossed legged on the floor in front of Louis.

 

'Yeah? What is it?’ Louis asked, interested. No matter how much banter there was between them, Nick was a bloody talented screenwriter and director. His plays always attracted a fair amount of attention from all the right people, partly because of his picky audition process and partly because of his pushiness when it came to scoring the funds that meant that his plays were the highest budgeted ones that a NYADA student ever put out.

 

'Romeo and Julian.’ Nick smirked. 'Yes it’s exactly what you think it is, and yes it’s probably not groundbreaking, but I have an incredible composer writing the music and I’m pretty proud of the script. It will be somewhere between Shakespeare and Fitzgerald, romantic and completely over the top.’ Nick smiled, taking out some worn out pages from his bag and looking at them proudly.

 

'Just like you, then?’ Louis smiled softly at his friend. He always loved how much passion Nick put into his work. 

 

'Exactly like me, that’s how I know you'd be wonderful  _ in  _ it.' Nick smirked, making Louis laugh.

 

'Give me the script and I’ll read it over, but I know how good you are so I will probably see you at auditions. When are they?’ Louis asked, reaching for the script.

 

'Two weeks from now, on friday at noon in auditorium B.’ Nick smiled, handing him a flyer with the information and a script.

 

'Cool, I just have to look at my schedule to make sure that I can actually do this but I'll make time.’ Louis smiled.

 

'Well I am quite flexible, not only with rehearsal time’ Nick teased.

 

'Oh believe me, I know! I’ve seen your drunken moves.’ Louis laughed.

 

He finished stretching and exited the building with Nick in tow, chatting about the play and how Nick had an ambitious plan of getting some hot shot Broadway people down to the premiere so he could make some connections. He had quite a business mind, which only made Louis think that he would be that much more successful, as most artists despised the business side of the art and refused to network and deal with 'suits’. Nick recognised the importance of it while still managing to create breathtaking art. 

 

They rode together on the subway before Nick got off a few stops before Louis, so he took out the script and started reading. He didn’t get too far before he had to get off the subway but just from the few pages he could tell that he definitely wanted to land that part. Any part really.

 

When he stepped inside his apartment it was quiet and he sighed contently. Jade was probably still on her date with Perrie and Niall probably had gone out again. Louis took a shower and put on his most fluffy onesie and made himself tea before taking the script and sitting on the fire escape.

 

'Hello Norman!’ he cheered at their weird downstairs neighbour who was building what looked like an exact replica of the Empire State Building from matches. Norman just glared at him and curled protectively around his masterpiece. Louis laughed and leaned back against the brick wall, getting comfortable. 

 

The script was actually incredible. It wasn’t just a college play, but it was something he could see himself acting in long after he got his diploma and made a name for himself. He hummed under his breath one of the songs that was included and was starting to reread the script again when he heard the window sliding open and soon Jade emerged wearing a metallic pink dress and grey fake fur, smiling at Louis brightly.

 

'Hi Lou’ she sighed softly, sitting next to him and taking out a cigarette. 

 

'You know these are bad for you?’ he noted, displeased. 

 

'Oh come on, I have to die from something.’ she said rolling her eyes.

 

'You’ll be lucky if death is the worst thing.’ Louis exclaimed outraged. 'What about your vocal cords? And your breath control?’ 

 

'Adele smokes like a chimney and she still has pipes as hell.’ Jade contradicted.

 

'Well I don’t see Adele going through hours of singing and excessive dance routines now do you?’ Louis shot back.

 

'Oh come on Lou, let me have this one thing.' Jade grinned at him happily and Louis stopped, zoning on her with narrowed eyes.

 

'Why are you not fighting with me? You always fight with me. What is with you?’ he asked suspiciously.

 

‘Well, I’ve been on a date with wonderful girl. I’m all kinds of peace and love now.’ Jade said dreamily, swooning into Louis’ arms for dramatic effect.

 

'God I want to hate on you for being a sappy fucker but you’re too cute and I can’t.’ Louis said pouting. 'So do I get any details at least?’ 

 

'Well she took me to this really cool karaoke bar.’ Jade started and Louis grimaced at the words karaoke bar, it didn't go with cool in a sentence. Ever. 'Oh shush you!’ Jade exclaimed upon seeing Louis’ face. 'Everyone could sing there! I swear it wasn’t what you think. Everyone was so talented! You would love it actually.’ 

 

'Doubt that.' Louis interjected, smirking.

 

Jade just fixed him with an unamused stare and continued with her story. 'And we sang a duet! And Lou, shit she’s so good! Her range is incredible, you should have heard her!’ 

 

'What did you sing?’ Louis asked, because that was obviously the most important part.

 

'Take me or leave me, obviously.’ 

 

'Obviously.’ Louis agreed.

 

‘So we sang, and drank a lot and it was just, easy. I just had fun. I mean you remember how it was with Karlie, all angst all the time and the minute it was okay, Taylor was waltzing back in and stirring shit again. I kind of missed how things could be simple.’ Jade shrugged.

 

‘I don’t mean to be a downer but you do realise that technically it’s not really simple? I mean… what about Zayn?’ Louis asked 

 

‘I don’t know. We didn’t talk about him.’ Jade said defensively. ‘They can be friends while having history together. And she can just be over him, you know?’ she added, a little angry.

 

‘Yes she probably can, but I want to make sure you’re ready for her not being over him because that is a possibility also, and I don’t want you to get hurt’ he said softly.

 

‘Jesus Lou, can’t you just let me have this? At least for a second? If she goes back to him then good fucking riddance, I’ll cross that bridge when it comes to it.’ Jade snapped.

 

‘I’m sorry’ he retracted. He wasn’t really a fan of the ‘crossing that bridge when it comes to it’ philosophy but he wasn’t keen on fighting with his best friend either. It seemed as though she had a different idea when she went inside the loft and shut the door after herself without another word to Louis. 

 

That’s why the next day in between classes Louis found himself roaming the streets of Brooklyn trying to find the exact one on which the tattoo parlor Perrie worked in was set. He had vague memories from the night he got his tattoo and now, sober and in the daylight, it was hard to track his exact movements. He started to get anxious because he only had about an hour before he definitely needed to get to the subway if he was going to make it to his next class. 

 

Finally, after another 15 minutes, he thought he recognised a store with some healthy creepy grass hipster food because he definitely had made fun of it while Niall was carrying him so he was probably on the right track. After few minutes, he walked through the door to the tattoo parlor sighing happily. 

 

The girl that sits behind the desk was definitely not Perrie. She had brown hair, she was curvy, and she had a guy that looked at her like she hung the moon draped around her back.

 

‘Nate for crying out loud I’ve told you a hundred times, I peed on the stick already!’ the girl laughed shoving the guy playfully.   
  
‘Well baby then we should just keep trying’ he said and wiggled his eyebrows at her.   
  
‘Um… hi?’ Louis said feeling awkward about disturbing what seemed to be a private moment.   
  
‘Hey! Hi! How can I help you?’ the girl said, turning to face him with a pleasant smile on her face.    
  
‘I’m looking for Perrie?’ he asked, looking around like the girl in question was just going to appear out of nowhere. ‘I’m Jade’s best friend, I don’t know if you know Jade, she’s um… ‘ he stumbled with his words, not really knowing what to call whatever those two were doing.   
  
‘Oh my god, you’re Louis!’ the girl said, smiling widely and standing up from her desk. ‘I mean, I didn’t meet Jade but Perrie talks about her a lot, and I know there’s a Louis and Niall who live with Jade and you can’t be Niall cause your hair color seems natural’ she laughed.

 

‘Oh. Yes, nice to meet you. I am Louis indeed.’ He smiled sheepishly.    
  
‘I’m Jesy, this is my husband Nathan. Perrie is not here, sorry honey, but she should be here any second now.’ Louis shook both of their hands in greeting. ‘You can wait if you want to?’ she added then.

 

‘Um.. I can wait, but I only have like forty minutes. Do you think she’ll be back in that time?’ he asked, unsure. 

 

‘She just went to pick up some food, she’ll be back in bit.’ Louis heard another voice coming from behind him. ‘How is your tattoo?’ he turned around to see smirking Harry who was wiping his hands on a flannel.

 

‘It’s perfect, you did a great job.’ Louis smirked back, popping his hip in a suggestive manner. 

 

‘Show me, I need to see if it’s healing correctly.’ Harry said putting the flannel down and walking over to Louis.   
  
‘Are you kidding me? I’m not just dropping my pants because you told me to.’ Louis laughed, wiggling out of Harry’s reach.   
  
‘No? I remember that I didn’t even have to ask the last time.’ Harry smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. 

 

‘That was one time offer. You looked a little down, figured you could use a pick me up.’ Louis smiled, mirroring Harry’s expression. 

 

‘Am I not down enough now?’ Harry asked, pouting and batting his eyelashes innocently. 

 

‘Not even close. But if you ask prettily maybe I’ll reconsider.’ Louis said looking Harry up and down. 

 

‘I hate to break up that excessive flirting, but Perrie is here.’ Jesy smiled amusedly, pointing to the girl that was just stepping inside the tattoo parlor. 

 

‘Louis?’ she asked, her blue eyes popping obscenely.

 

‘Hi Perrie!’ he smiled, blushing a little because of Jesy’s flirting comment earlier. ‘I’m so glad I caught you, I wanted to steal your number of off Jade’s phone but I didn’t have any opening to and we’re kind of on a time crunch. Me and Niall are throwing her a surprise birthday party Friday night, I’m sure she’d be happy if you could stop by’ he said smiling at Perrie. He could see her looking at her friends and them looking at the floor. 

 

‘I mean, you are all welcome!’ he exclaimed. ‘For sure, Harry you can bring your brother, not a problem. Just wanted to lock in Perrie first.’ he smiled awkwardly.   
  
‘I’ll definitely be there!’ Perrie smiled. ‘Guys?’ she asked looking towards Harry, Jesy and Nathan.

 

‘We have a baby making session friday’ Nathan said with a smug smile.

 

‘Euh. We don’t need to know that.’ Harry said, shaking his head and scrunching his nose. ‘Sure I’ll stop by,’ he shrugged then and moved towards the door. ‘See you then blue tinkerbell’ he winked at Louis and just like that he was gone. 

 

'Should we bring anything?’ Perrie asked, setting down the food on the counter.

 

'No we’ve got everything covered. Actually we were supposed to pay the kids from the drama club she runs to stall her after class, but it would be easier If you would just pick her up and then bring her to the apartment.’ Louis smiled.

 

'Sure, not a problem, just give me your number so you can text me the time. I'll make plans with her on Friday.’ 

 

'Great, thanks.’ Louis smiled taking the phone from her hands and putting his information in. He sent a text to himself and gave Perrie her phone. 'Okay so I hope I’ll see you guys Friday!’ he yelled waving and moving towards the door.

 

'Louis?’ he heard Perrie’s voice and stopped at the door, turning around to see that they were alone.

 

'Yeah?’ 

 

'No 'hurt her and I’ll kill you’ talk?’ Perrie smirked and gave Louis a pointed look that made him feel that Jade had filled her in on Louis’ doubts.

 

'I thought that was given’ he smirked. 'Look’ he sighed. 'It’s not my place to talk to you, it is my place to talk to her though. And she can be mad at me all she wants, but she wouldn’t be if she thought that what I say had no merit. But we both know it does. So just figure out what you really want. The sooner the better.’ 

 

'I will.’ she nodded seriously.

 

'Good.’ he smiled softly. 'See you Friday!’ 

 

Inviting Perrie for Jade’s surprise birthday was a last ditch attempt at apologizing to his best friend. Okay maybe not apologizing, because Louis stood by the fact that he had nothing to apologize for, he wasn’t meddling in her love life. He was asking valid questions and he refused to let her close her eyes to the real issue because she preferred going in blind. But he was tired of fighting and when Jade had stomped out of the loft at the crack of dawn clicking her heels furiously on the floor and shutting the door louder than necessary, Louis knew that extreme measures had to be taken and decided to wander around Brooklyn to find Perrie. Stealing her phone number off of Jade’s phone would probably be easier but she had spent the whole night holed up in her room and Louis had no way of getting it.

 

The party in itself was planned already. He and Niall had spent weeks on it, so the only thing left was to arrange everything in the loft while Jade was gone so they wouldn’t spoil the surprise. Fortunately Niall had Friday's off and Louis decided to skip his training session (well okay maybe not skip, but shorten it, substantially!) to help him while Jade had classes and then while she was directing the drama club in a local high school, and after, as Perrie informed him over text, Perrie was supposed to pick her up and bring her to the loft.

 

Louis came back to the apartment on Friday way before the first guests started to arrive. To his content he realised that Niall hadn’t wasted any time and everything was already set up, so he had time to take a shower and change before people started to fill the loft. 

 

When all of Jade’s friends were accounted for he shot a text to Perrie telling her that they could come back, and was left staring anxiously on at his phone, not wanting to miss a text from Perrie who was supposed to inform him when they were around the block so he could turn the lights off and arrange everyone for the surprise. 

 

'How’s your ass?’ he heard behind himself and turned around to see Harry leaning over the door frame, leisurely drinking a beer.

 

'When did you come? I didn’t see you come in.’ Louis asked, ignoring Harry’s question.

 

'Were you looking?’ Harry smirked coming to stand closer.

 

Louis blushed but refused to back down. Just because he was cute didn't mean he could just walk around Louis’ apartment like he was the single greatest thing that had ever happened. 

 

'Not for you.’ Louis snapped rolling his eyes. 'Just wondering if your brother’s here and if he’s going to cause trouble’ he added, crossing his arms over his chest and popping his hip.

 

Harry’s eyes zeroed in on it and he shook his head, his curls bouncing despite the headscarf that was holding them.

 

'You really need to stop talking shit about my brother.’ Harry murmured, leaning in some more and placing his large hands on the counter behind Louis, bracketing him inside as his breath teased Louis’ ear. He sounded fucking scary, and Louis would probably be embarrassed about getting half hard later. 

 

'I’m not talking shit, I’m not saying that he’s evil. I’m saying that unresolved things cause trouble.’ Louis said definitely stopping himself from grinding on Harry.

 

'Don’t put your nose where it doesn’t belong baby.’ Harry whispered again, his lips grazing the shell of Louis’ ear before he leaned away, the warmth of his body gone completely. 'I mean it, Louis.’ he added sternly, his tone strangely serious compared to his earlier playfully one, his eyes hard and challenging. Before Louis had even a second to think of a response to that, Harry was gone. 

 

Louis turned around with deep sigh and leaned onto the counter. He gave it few seconds to collect himself and decided to just ignore the huge curly cry baby. 'I mean it, Louis’ he parroted under his breath. What the fuck was he? Italian mafia? He wasn’t that scary! Like you could terrify people only so much when you paint your nails. 

 

Despite deciding that he was definitely not scared of Harry and even more so not turned on by him, he still downed a beer in one go and was on his way to get another one when he did a double take and stopped dead in his tracks. 

 

Zayn had Niall blushing and twisting his fingers on the couch which Niall only did when he liked someone and, for the love of God, Zayn’s hand was wandering on Niall’s thigh. Louis rolled his eyes, praying that those two wouldn't start fucking now, because that was just a terrible idea, and Niall couldn't think around pretty boys and someone needed to pick him up by his collar and drag him away before he did something under influence. Louis was just about to do that when his phone vibrated in his hand with a text from Perrie saying that they were 5 minutes out. He decided that Niall/ Zayn situation could wait in favour of hiding everybody, turning the lights off and then shushing everyone every other second.

 

The surprise, surprisingly was successful and Louis got himself an armful of giggling Jade.

 

'Oh my God guys!’ she laughed, grabbing for Niall also. 'I can’t believe you threw me a surprise party!’ 

 

'You like it?’ Niall asked excitedly.

 

'I love it! God and so much glitter! Oh my God, this is so amazing!’ she exclaimed causing Niall to throw his head back in laughter and they both started to jump around while Louis looked at them, amused.

 

'J.’ he said softly, catching her attention. 'We're good?’ he asked hopefully.

 

'Yeah’ she allowed with a soft smile, tilting her head to the side. 'Shots?’ she asked right after with sparkling eyes.

 

And how could Louis say no to that?

 

He spent the whole night at Jade’s side trying to ignore all the things in front of him and just let them go. For example, he chose to ignore the way Niall blushed crimson when Zayn kissed his neck, and Louis had known him long enough to know that it wasn't his sexaully frustrated blush but rather his guilty one. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Perrie was watching them like a hawk, which in turn was noticed by Jade, and just… Louis really wished his best friends wouldn’t participate in some weird love quadrangle. Love triangles were exhausting enough in rom coms and Louis did not need to know how much more drama one extra person could bring to the mix.

 

He also spent the whole party aggressively avoiding Harry, once stooping so low as to barge in on Leigh and Liam making out in his bedroom. Granted it was his bedroom and they didn't even lock the fucking door, but anyone who ever walked in on them making out knew how traumatizing it could be. And usually he just squealed a 'Fuck sorry!’ and ran out of there as fast as he could, but now Harry was on the other side of the door and frankly he would take his chances with Leigh and Liam over Harry any day. 

 

See, Harry was just confusing. On one hand he was flirting, and well, normally Louis would be all up in that, but on the other hand he was such an asshole, with his 'it's none of your business' speeches and his coy smirk and honestly it was too much of a hassle. Three crossovers between his friends and Harry’s would be way too much for all of them to handle. It screamed disaster as it was. 

 

So he beared the love birds and successfully managed to not talk to Harry the whole night right until the point when almost everyone was gone and Perrie was saying goodbye to Jade with Harry standing by the door waiting for her. From what Louis could tell Zayn had disappeared with some blonde a few hours back and, well, at least no one could accuse him of not having a type. 

 

Perrie and Jade were taking forever but Louis didn't mind. Niall was standing right beside him which stopped Harry from going all sexy psycho on him, though that was obviously only until Niall exclaimed, 'Dude I still have a little bit of pot we can smoke on the firescape!’ not giving Louis even a second to react and stop the fucking leprechaun before he was gone.

 

He looked over to Jade and Perrie who were still murmuring sweet nothings to each other and with dread he moved his eyes to Harry who was obviously already smirking like a fucking asshole he was.

 

'Are you scared of me baby?’ he asked slowly, with just a hint of amusement that made Louis think that maybe he would avoid getting murdered for a few minutes.

 

'Not your baby’ he snapped, dead set on not giving the douche the satisfaction.

 

'We’ll see.’ Harry shrugged. 'Depends on your behaviour’ he added his voice dropping an octave lower and he disappeared with Perrie in tow. What the fuck? Louis hadn’t even noticed that they were finished. What the fuck was this guy doing to him? This was all too Fifty Shades of Gray for his taste. Don’t get him wrong, he enjoyed a good spanking as much as the next guy but that was just borderline abusive!

 

'Lou?’ Jade laughed in his face which made him think that she probably had been saying his name for a while. 'Niall is calling for us?’ she asked amused.

 

'Yeah okay, let’s smoke’ he agreed, figuring he really could use something to take the edge off. And tomorrow he didn’t have to go to work so he could afford a late rehearsal. 

 

He climbed with Jade on the firescape and sat beside Niall, the city thrumming below them and the sky slowly turning violet. Niall wordlessly lit up the joint and after taking three hits passed it on to Louis. 

 

'You were right.’ Jade said after her turn, passing it back to Niall for a second round. ‘She still likes Zayn.' 

 

'I’m sorry,’ Louis whispered, not really knowing what to say. 

 

'It’s um… it’s fine. We’re just taking it slow. Not really making any promises.’ Jade shrugged. 'He left with some girl right?’ she asked softly.

 

'Yeah.’ Niall interjected sucking on a joint.

 

'And you are fine with it?’ Jade asked tentatively. Niall looked at her surprised before blushing and looking down.

 

'Look J, I’m sorry. He’s just… I didn’t mean to flirt with him. I didn’t mean to meddle and make it harder on you, your situation is complicated enough.’ Niall said earnestly.

 

'No, Ni! Come on! If you like him you can do whatever you want, don’t worry about me!’ Jade exclaimed loudly, ever the romantic, thinking that nothing should stand in the way of love. Or maybe she thought that if Niall stood in Zayn’s way, he would stay out of Perrie’s. 

 

'Nah.’ Niall said shaking his head lightly. 'It’s not worth it, this whole playing games thing, lingering gazes across the room, I don’t know whether he gets off on knowing that he still affects her like that but to be honest, I don’t want to be another Perrie. Too much drama for me. I appreciate simplicity not … this. Whatever this is.’ 

 

'I have to agree.’ Louis said smiling at Niall. 'So taking it slow means what?’ he asked turning back to Jade again.

 

'Means friends. Friends who kiss a lot I guess.’ Jade shrugged. 'What about Harry huh?’ she grinned. ‘You spaced out after your goodbyes’ 

 

'I’m team Niall on that one. Too much drama for me.’ Louis shrugged.

 

'How very mature of you.’ Jade mocked them both.

 

'You should learn from us, J.’ Niall smiled. 'Here’s to staying out of drama!’ he giggled raising a joint.

 

Louis laughed along and pulled Niall for a hug by his waist, cheering with Jade. 'To staying out of drama!’ 

 

And if he could feel a familiar sense of dread in his gut, right after he said those words, he decided to ignore it. Drama couldn’t find him if he stayed out of it, right?

  
Right?


	2. Stick figures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again I want to really apologize for whatever was posted here before :( this- hopefully- is better :D 
> 
> Chapter two with some brotherly love and we're back on track :D 
> 
> And thank you Serena- my [beta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tempolarriefics) for getting this ready even though I threw like dozen of fics on you <3

_ ‘Fuck, Zayn’ thud thud thud _

 

_ ‘Shit I’m close’ thud thud thud thud _

 

Harry counted to ten and heard two loud groans just as the bed on the other side of the wall stopped hitting it. Finally. They had woken him up around five in the morning and no matter how much he tried to tune them out with a pillow over his head or singing under his breath or music in his earphones Zayn was apparently really good in bed judging by the sounds Perrie was making. He could honestly live without that knowledge. Hearing your friend having sex was gross enough but throw your sibling in the mix and you're officially off the cringe chart. 

 

Reluctantly he swung his legs off the bed and stood up, stretching his arms over his head. He supposed he could get a jump start on the day since he was already wide awake. He moved to the kitchen scratching his stomach mindlessly over the curved stick figures Zayn had tattooed on him for practise. There was smaller one with curly hair and bigger one with paintbrush in hand, just to remind Harry that they were always together even if they were not in a same place, or at least that’s what Zayn said when he’d done them. He saw Perrie tiptoeing out of Zayn’s room in the direction of the bathroom. He could see the drama coming from a mile away with that one. 

 

‘Hi little bro’ he heard Zayn behind him just as the other boy ruffled his hair fondly, stepping inside the kitchen.

 

‘Hi’ Harry groaned trying to conjure some of the irritation he had felt after his rude awakening, but it was really hard upon seeing his brother smiling happily. ‘For the next time, can you remember that I’m like… right on the other side of your wall though?’ He asked with a pointed look, handing Zayn a cup of coffee.

 

‘Oh’ Zayn said sheepishly, blushing a little. ‘Sorry H,’ he added ducking his head.

 

‘It’s fine, just. You’re my brother. It’s gross’ he scrunched his nose.

 

‘We’ll try to keep it down next time.’ Zayn promised with a small smile. ‘Are you making breakfast?’ 

 

‘Well I wasn’t planning on it, but sure. Pancakes?’ He asked already opening up the fridge.

 

‘Yeah.’ Zayn nodded eagerly. ‘You have that meeting today, right?’ He asked.

 

‘Um yeah, but I think I’ll cancel.’ Harry said in one breath praying that it would go unnoticed by Zayn.

 

‘What?’ Zayn exclaimed looking at Harry sharply. ‘Why would you cancel?’ 

 

‘Z, it’s an unpaid internship. We can’t afford unpaid internships. I have to be in a parlour making actual money.’ He said quietly, spatula in hand.

 

‘No.’ Zayn said, standing up and coming to stand beside Harry. ‘I can work more and you’ll still take a few shifts and help out, but I can take care of us. Or we can rent more chairs. This is a great opportunity for you, Harry. I’m not letting you give it up.’ 

 

‘Well maybe it’s time for you to take some of those opportunities! When was the last time you picked up the brush?’ Harry countered.

 

‘I paint plenty. But this is not about me. You’re my younger brother and I did not work my ass off for you to be a tattoo artist for the rest of your life when you have a chance to do something more. So you are going to that interview and you are getting this unpaid internship so you can become a professional photographer one day just like you always wanted. I will bring you there myself if I have to,’ he warned, squeezing Harry’s shoulders with a soft smile. ‘I’ll take care of the money,’ he added with finality in his ‘parental’ tone of voice he did not use often seeing as he was just two years older. 

 

‘But I don’t want you to have to do everything alone.’ Harry murmured under his breath.

 

‘What is alone? I’m not alone. I have you. What are you talking about? You helped me with all of this.’ Zayn said stretching his hands out. ‘We did all of this together so now I will pick up the slack for a while so we can both retire to Miami when we're old with wrinkles and saggy balls and live off of the millions you make as photographer.’ He laughed. ‘I am being selfish here to be honest.’ He added teasingly.

 

Harry was torn. On one hand the internship was so tempting. He would get professional equipment to work with instead of some second hand camera, he would get real experience, and yes maybe snapping pictures for a fashion magazine wasn’t exactly what he wanted to do but it was a major publication, and if he managed to get a job there after his internship ended he would make way more money than he and Zayn had ever seen. But on the other hand - it would mean that for the next few months Zayn would support him just like he did when they were younger, when they ran away from their foster home and Zayn had dropped out of high school and worked three jobs a day to be able to support both of them and put some money aside to start a tattoo parlour. Harry had wanted to do the same at that time to help out, but Zayn wouldn’t let him do more than waiting tables on weekends, arguing that at least one of them had to finish high school. 

 

Harry had really hoped that he wouldn’t have to put everything on Zayn’s shoulders ever again.

 

‘I’m calling the vase.’ Zayn said seeing Harry’s hesitation.

 

‘What?’ Harry deadpanned. ‘You can’t call vase on this!’ He argued.

 

‘The hell I can’t!’ Zayn countered. ‘The deal was that if I call vase you will do me a favour. This is my favour. You're going there and getting that internship.’ He said with a finality to it and with a quick kiss to Harry’s forehead, he moved to the bathroom Perrie just vacated.

 

Harry turned around to the long forgotten pancake mix and smiled down at the food. His life may not have been rainbows and sunshine but he had Zayn. He supposed it was enough. 

 

After eating breakfast with Zayn and Perrie, the two moved downstairs to open the shop while Harry squeezed into the one suit he owned and with a deep breath picked up his portfolio to drive up to Manhattan. He went through the shop to let Zayn know he was leaving.

 

‘Call me after you leave there okay?’ Zayn asked with a smile, looking up from some guy's bicep he was currently tattooing.

 

‘I will.’ Harry nodded.

 

‘And be careful on the subway!’ Zayn yelled after him as he left, causing Harry to roll his eyes fondly. 

 

He said goodbye to Perrie who wished him luck and he went outside. He had more than enough time to get to the Upper East Side where Q’s magazine’s headquarters were located, but he figured it was better to be earlier rather than later. He was not a person that spooked easily but upon seeing the glass skyscraper with fancily dressed people walking around like they owned a place, he felt an unsettled feeling in his stomach. Tugging on the sleeves of his jacket that were a tad too short for him, he announced himself at the security desk and was given a guest pass with his name written on it and instructions to go to the 30th floor.

 

He got inside the elevator after being poked and pushed out of the way by various employees rushing to the same place as well. He squeezed his fists and took a deep breath, getting annoyed with how insensitive people could be trampling over everything in their way. He squeezed himself into the corner of the elevator, relishing in the awkward silence that stretched upon all the strangers forced to be in the same space for few minutes. 

 

He got off on the 30th floor and moved to the front desk smiling politely at the girl sat behind it.  

 

‘Hi. I’m here for the interview with James Corden?’

 

‘Hi! I’m Tanya. James will be right with you.’ She smiled cheerfully and Harry raised an eyebrow upon hearing her calling the famous photographer by his first name. ‘He’s just finishing up with another candidate.’ 

 

Harry sat on the pristine wooden chair that probably cost more than his apartment and looked around the waiting area. Everything was top shelf, verging on decadent. New and shiny, intimidating Harry to the point where his foot started to twitch nervously and he had to admit to himself that he cared about getting this job more than he was letting on. 

 

‘Hey, do you want anything to drink?’ Tanya asked and Harry’s head snapped up, realising that she was standing right above him. 

 

‘Um. Yeah water would be great.’ He forced out from his suddenly dry throat. Just one look at her let him know what kind of people worked here. She was styled perfectly. Her wide curves hugged by coral dress that complimented her dark complexion and black curly hair. Her shoes clicked against the floor and revealed the red sole of the shoe that even Harry knew was signature Louboutin that not just anyone could afford. She looked like she had been taken out of fashion magazine.

 

‘Don’t worry,’ She said, handing him a glass of water. ‘James is amazing. I had an interview with his boss, to be her assistant and she didn’t give me a job because she said that I don’t have a certain look. Which only meant ‘you're too fat or too black,’ I never quite figured out which.’ She said a little bitterly. ‘James saw me crying on the staircase and took my number and my resume, promising to call if he heard of any fashion industry job openings. A few weeks later he called about being a secretary in his department. He won't care where you're from or how you look like, he only cares how good you would be at the job,’ she added with a knowing smile.

 

‘Oh… how did you know I was worried about that?’ Harry asked.

 

‘You were looking at those chairs like they were about to attack you for wearing a second hand suit.’ She laughed ‘And James will actually like that. He collects strays,’ she smiled and with a squeeze to his arm moved back behind her desk. 

 

Harry spent another few minutes sipping on his water and smiling at Tanya whenever he caught her eye, feeling a little bit better about the whole thing. 

 

After a few minutes, the doors at the end of the hallway opened and Harry saw James walking through them with some girl, deep in the conversation.

 

‘Like I said James, I’m a fine arts photographer.’ The girl said, her chin held high, her voice high-pitched making Harry scrunch his nose instinctively. 

 

‘Well the job is actually for a fashion photographer.’ James deadpanned and now that they had rounded closer to the front desk Harry could see his face. He realised that James was stopping himself from rolling his eyes, smirking in satisfaction and quickly trying to hide that fact by looking down at the floor.

 

‘The way I see it, you can be both. No, you  _ have  _ to be both. I can be more than just a fashion photographer, you know? I can create art and commercial spreads at the same time. We shouldn’t agree on anything less. You shouldn't! Anything less is simply lazy.’ She said thoughtfully, like she was just discovering fucking America when in fact she was just dropping cliches. Was it really that groundbreaking to say that all pictures should be pretty? Harry didn't need to go to a fancy school to know that.

 

‘Yes of course. Well, Brie, we’ll call you.’ James said quickly as she was taking a breath and extended a hand to her.

 

‘It’s Brié actually.’ She corrected, pronouncing the last e that James had left silent.

 

‘Oh, are you... French?’ He asked hesitantly.

 

‘No,’ she laughed with a fake self deprecating smile. ‘My birth name is Amber. I just find it invigorating to reinvent myself...”

 

‘Mr. Corden, excuse me, but I have Ms. Wintour on line two?’ Tanya said with an innocent expression and after she dropped THE fashion industry name it was easy to hassle Brié out the door.

 

‘Thanks Tanya.’ James groaned, throwing himself on her desk. ‘I had twenty of those pretentious art school prodigies in today and I hate them.’ He complained while Tanya patted his head, Harry smiling wickedly at the sight, relaxing more and more as the minutes went by.

 

‘And what’s worse! Not only do they not have anything interesting to say, but their portfolios don’t either. I swear to God if I see another homeless man photo or one of a mom with her child, I’m going to lose it. Can you just hire someone for me?’ James asked, raising up a bit to rest his face on his palms and bat his eyelashes at Tanya.

 

‘No,’ she grinned. ‘And speaking of which - your last interview is here.’ She added, motioning to Harry which prompted James to do a twirl and look at him with wild eyes.

 

‘Well after hearing all of this I really hope you're not a pretentious twat as it would be super awkward now.’ He said with a small smile and strong British accent.

 

‘Why? Every pretentious twat has one thing in common - they never realise they are being pretentious twats.’ He smiled, shaking James’ hand who beamed at him.

 

‘Suppose you're right.’ He allowed before stopping and adding: ‘But then again, doesn’t this mean that you can still be a pretentious twat?’

 

Harry laughed softly, not able to deny this logic.

 

‘Well, I want to be a photojournalist who wants to watch you snap some fashion pictures because I need some real experience with a good photographer, which you undeniably are. It’s not exactly what I dream of doing but it’s closer than I’ve ever been, and I know that even though it's not my field, I can learn a lot. And I want to do so, without telling you that the earth is round, sun is shining or that pictures have to be aesthetically pleasing no matter their use.’ Harry said with a slight mocking tone to his words. As short as his contact with Brié had been, it already filled his bullshit limit for the day.

 

James smiled, looking back at Tanya to share a knowing glance.

 

‘Show me your portfolio.’ He said, and Harry handed him the book.

 

James opened it and hummed, looking thoughtfully through every picture. He was quiet for about fifteen minutes which made Harry anxious all over again, before he commented offhandedly, not even looking away 

 

‘You know you won’t be just watching me snapping pictures? You would snap them by yourself.’ 

 

‘That’s even better.’ Harry commented.

 

‘What equipment are you used to working with?’ James asked, still looking at Harry’s photos.

 

‘Second hand Canon Rebel t2i’ Harry said, blushing lightly.

 

‘You took this picture with a second hand Canon?’ James asked disbelievingly and Harry leaned over to see which one James was talking about.

 

It was the picture of Zayn. He had been seventeen at that time and they had just run away. He was sitting on the bed of their first apartment, a shoebox with a bed, sink and toilet. It was the middle of winter and the heating had broke. They had tried to complain to the super but the guy just laughed in their faces and said that they were welcome to move somewhere with heating if they could find another person willing to rent an apartment to two underage kids. So they spent that entire winter bundled up in thrift shop blankets, running around neighbourhood shops pretending to be customers when the cold was just too much. Harry had taken that picture with his phone on the first day of spring when they were counting the days until it would be warm again and Zayn was smiling happily at the thought. Harry smiled at the memory. He had nearly lost two fingers that winter but hell, he had been so happy.

 

‘No. I actually took that picture with my phone.’ He said confidently, his pride waking in him with double force. He refused to be ashamed of where he came from.

 

James’ head snapped up and Harry looked him hard in the eye before James beamed at him.

 

‘Okay, come on. We have a photoshoot at NYADA.’ He said, walking towards his studio.

 

‘We?’ Harry asked, confused, skipping after James. 

 

‘Any person who took that photo with  _ a phone d _ eserves to be here.’ He said, strangely soft as he stopped for a second to look at Harry. ‘So you want the job?’ He asked snapping back to his usual self and moving down the corridor.

 

Harry hesitated for a split second, his doubts from that morning resurfacing once again before he looked down at his portfolio and remembered what Zayn asked him to do, and how he never went wrong listening to Zayn. He found himself nodding slowly: ‘Yes. Yes I do’.

 

It felt just for a second like the world stopped to stare when he made that monumental decision and a shiver went up his spine before James snapped him of it with the short ‘good’ and ‘follow me’.

 

They went inside one of the rooms full of equipment and James ordered Harry to pack a few things. He had known that years of window shopping photographic equipment would pay off one day as he was able to locate everything James asked for. 

 

‘Now pick one for you.’ James said nudging Harry gently. ‘You’ll have some time to snap some pictures of your own. Then we will develop them and see what we can improve.’ 

 

‘You’re going to let me handle expensive equipment on the first day?’ Harry asked a little hesitant.

 

‘Well, how are you supposed to learn, or help me for that matter, if you can’t touch anything?’ James asked with even more irony in his tone and Harry had to respect anyone who could contain more vicious sarcasm in a sentence than he usually did. 

 

‘What if I break something?’ He pressed on still.  

 

‘I’d like to believe that people who go through the trouble of interviewing for this job don’t do it with an intent to break shit.’ James shrugged.

 

‘You’re way too trusting.’ Harry said, picking up one of the cameras he had always had his eye on. 

 

‘And you’re out of line.’ James said sharply, looking at Harry with a cold face expression. ‘I’m your employer, not your friend. I do not appreciate your silly advice or your assessments about my character, is that understood?’ He said and Harry felt himself blushing, his stomach twisting in knots. Maybe he overestimated the casualty of the situation. He was just about to mumble an apology when James burst out with laughter, holding his belly, his eyes full of tears. 

 

‘Oh man, you should have seen your face.’ He wheezed out and Harry was left staring at him speechless. ‘I was joking, Jesus, relax.’ He added then, patting Harry’s back. ‘I may be too trusting but you’re way too serious. Loosen up, sweets.’ James said winking at him and picking up two bags, shouldering them on both of his shoulders. ‘Come on, we’re already late.’ He said and Harry scrambled to follow him. 

 

They got into the car as even though driving around Manhattan at this hour would take forever, there was no other way with that much expensive equipment. 

 

‘Okay while we drive, here is the agreement. The internship lasts six months, and after that there is the possibility for a paid position as my assistant photographer, or maybe something else. We’ll see what would be suited for you. Read it over, sign it and turn it into HR on Monday. They will give you a pass to the building that you can use to get in and out. You won’t have usual hours, I will just let you know when you’re needed.’ James said, all business-like, handing Harry a folder with an agreement inside. ‘But I’m cool, I’m not a tyrant,’ he laughed softly. ‘If you have an emergency or you need to be somewhere else, just call. We can work something out.’

 

The rest of the ride, James spent filling Harry in on the details of the photoshoot. It seemed like they would be shooting rehearsals for some play one of the NYADA students was putting out. He was a promising director in his last year and apparently he had spent months spamming all email accounts and faxes in Q to have someone come and make a feature about the play. Harry had no idea what musical theatre had to do with a fashion magazine, but James explained that the director hired the most promising from the fashion department to design costumes for the play. 

 

‘So we do what exactly?’ Harry asked.

 

‘Well, I have official pictures with the cast but you can go around snap some random ones. We will see if they’re any good.’ James explained.

 

‘You don’t need help setting up?’ Harry asked.

 

‘I do. We’re setting up first and then while I take the official pictures, you can go around, but don’t go too far okay? I’ll need you within shouting distance.’ James said right as they parked outside of NYADA. ‘Here we go.’

 

They moved through the busy halls, Harry looking around curiously. It looked nothing like universities he was used to. Here, people were playing instruments and dancing in the halls instead of reading books or frantically looking through notes. It all felt a lot like Step Up. Finally, they reached one of the auditoriums and were met by a tall guy with impressive hair, smiling widely at them and extending his hand towards James.

 

‘Hi, I’m Nick Grimshaw, the director. I’m so glad you could make it, Mr. Corden.’ He said cheerfully.

 

‘James is fine. This is Harry, my assistant.’ He said motioning towards Harry as Grimmy shook his hand too and they both exchanged pleasantries.

 

Nick showed them where they could set up their equipment. There were various cast members mingling around but Harry paid them no mind, too set on getting everything right. 

 

He was just setting up some lights to face James’ direction when he heard someone clearing their throat behind him. He turned around with a raised eyebrow that quickly turned into a pleased smirk upon seeing who was there.

 

‘This is literally the last place I would expect to see you.’ Louis noted casually, his arms crossed over his chest, his hip popped, sporting that sassy smirk Harry had found infuriatingly attractive from the very first time they met. 

 

‘Why? Am I not good enough for your fancy richy rich play?’ Harry mocked, and Louis smiled at the floor like he had some kind of a secret Harry was not in on.

 

‘You, on the other hand,’ Louis continued like Harry hadn’t said a word ‘Don’t seem that surprised to see me. Should I be worried? Are you an actual psycho?’ He added, his smile indicating just how little he actually believed it. 

 

‘Well I knew you were going here. Perrie jabs about Jade enough for me to remember. Who are you playing though? A shrub?’ He smiled sweetly.

 

‘Harry! I see you’ve met my star!’ Nick exclaimed, looping an arm around Louis’ waist casually, but there was nothing casual in the way Harry’s eyes went down to track the movement. 

 

‘Your star?’ Harry echoed.

 

‘My muse.’ Nick grinned, smooching Louis’ cheek. ‘He’s playing Julian.’

 

‘Muse, huh? I didn’t think he could inspire anyone for anything more than a suicide.’ Harry teased, looking only at Louis. 

 

‘Well I only bother when there’s an actual talent already in place.’ Louis explained like he was talking to a small child. ‘So I don’t think you would make the cut.’ He added, biting his bottom lip. Louis had always found verbal duels invigorating.

 

‘You wound me.’ Harry mocked, placing a hand to his chest. ‘I should probably go talk to my boss, maybe you’ve met him? James Corden? Famous photographer?’ He added innocently.

 

‘I’m getting jealous over here.’ Nick interjected, looking between both of them amusedly. ‘You want to just get a room after this, or…?’ He trailed off.

 

‘Nah, I think we’re good.’ Louis said before Harry could get a word in. 

 

Louis and his co-star Oliver, who was playing Romeo, were first up for their picture, and Harry stuck around for a second to watch. They posed in various ways, getting all sorts of personal with each other, but Harry detected some tension there seeing as Louis jumped away from the guy’s touch the second after the photo was taken.

 

He wandered away for a bit, taking a camera with him to catch other cast members during their breaks and snap some good material - some maybe even good enough to put in Q - when he spotted another familiar face through the lense while snapping a picture.

 

Niall was standing next to the rack of clothes. He looked like he was talking to them, and upon coming closer Harry noticed that was exactly what he was doing.

 

‘Niall?’ Harry asked laughter tinting his voice. 

 

‘Oh!’ Niall exclaimed, turning around quickly. ‘Um…’ He said then, a thoughtful look on his face like he was trying to remember who Harry was. 

 

‘Harry.’ Harry said smiling. ‘I’m Perrie’s friend,’ he explained further.

 

‘Oh! Yes! Harry! Sorry… I was pretty drunk when we met.’ He said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

 

‘It’s fine.’ Harry said. ‘Were you talking to the clothes?’ He asked with narrowed eyes.

 

‘No!’ Niall yelled blushing heavily, and upon seeing Harry’s unamused expression he ducked his head and said: ‘Okay I was. I just… they don’t like crowds, okay?’ He said, like that somehow explained everything.

 

‘Clothes don’t like crowds.’ Harry deadpanned.

 

‘You’re making it sound ridiculous!’ Niall accused. ‘It’s not weird.’ He added stubbornly.

 

‘No, no! Why would it be?’ Harry teased. ‘They’re yours?’ He asked, motioning towards the clothes and coming closer while hanging his camera on his neck. 

 

‘Yes!’ Niall said proudly, looking lovingly at the garments.

 

‘You’re good.’ Harry noted.

 

‘You didn’t even look at them properly.’ Niall said, blushing.

 

‘Well I don’t know shit about fashion, but James said that the fact that you were making costumes for the play was one of the main reasons Q is even doing this article about it. So you must be really fucking good.’ Harry noted, looking through the designs. 

 

‘’M not. I’m just friends with Grimmy. I bummed Winter Wonderland last year.’ Niall mumbled, caressing the jacket closest to him.

 

‘What’s Winter Wonderland?’

 

‘A NYADA fashion show. Even getting invited is a huge deal, and I did. I was so proud, and then it was a disaster.’ Niall said. ‘So I can’t be that good’

 

Harry regarded him for a second, feeling sorry for a boy. He gave off those little brother vibes that just made you want to take care of him, no matter the fact that they had only met once before. He was honest - normally people were wary about sharing their losses with strangers, more prone to brag about their winnings - but he acted as if talking about what seemed like a hard experience for him was just an answer to a question, nothing more.

 

‘I don’t know man. James Corden is kind of a big deal, I would think he knows what he’s talking about.’ He said, trying to cheer Niall up.

 

‘You think so?’ Niall asked with hopeful eyes. 

 

‘Definitely.’ Harry nodded. ‘Do you think I could take few pictures of the clothes?’ He asked then.

 

‘Oh, yeah! Sure,’ Niall said, stepping back. 

 

‘And you with the clothes?’ Harry asked smiling.

 

‘I don’t know how to pose.’ Niall stated.

 

‘That’s good because I don’t want you to pose.’ Harry said, taking the camera off his neck and checking the settings. ‘Just do what you were doing before I interrupted.’ He said, taking a few steps back and trying to line up the shoot. ‘I know, it will be weird for a few minutes. It’s fine, just relax.’ 

 

‘Louis and the douchebag are wearing theirs already, but we should probably wrap this up - the rest of the cast will be coming to change for the official pictures soon.’ Niall said, turning around after a few minutes. 

 

‘What’s the deal with the douchebag?’ Harry asked, reasoning to himself that he was just trying to loosen Niall up, not that he was actually curious about the story between Louis and Oliver.

 

‘He’s a douchebag.’ Niall shrugged. ‘I don’t think I should actually fill everyone in on the details.’ He added then.

 

‘Loyal, and you keep your mouth shut.’ Harry noted, amused. ‘We would be the greatest friends.’

 

‘Well if Perrie and Jade work out, maybe we will.’ Niall smiled widely, like he genuinely couldn’t wait to be best friends with Harry. Who actually had an urge to rub him behind his ears like an exceptionally good puppy.

 

‘Yeah. If.’ Harry noted under his breath. 

 

Before Niall could ask some unabashedly honest and simple question like ‘what do you mean?’, a bunch of people came in demanding their costumes and Harry moved back to the corner. If he wanted to take some genuine pictures tonight, he had to stop chatting everybody up and start snapping. 

 

He wandered around the auditorium, coming back every few minutes to James to check whether he needed anything. He was looking through the pictures he took, seeing some of them that he actually was curious to see developed, and he was walking mindlessly not even watching his steps when he heard a voice singing a song he had never heard and he curiously followed it. 

 

When he rounded the corner, he saw Louis standing in the corner, his hand on his diaphragm, his eyes dead set on the sheet music he held in another hand. Harry stood still and quiet, listening to his voice. He wanted to let his presence be known but he was literally stunned speechless. He had known Louis studied musical theatre, and he knew NYADA was a great school and Louis would never have gotten in if he wasn’t talented, but the way his voice was pulling on Harry’s heart strings was something he would never have anticipated. He stood there, camera in hand, mouth hanging wide open, savouring every note. His voice was a little raspy, like a good vinyl, just enough to make it sound alive and not digital, and he was so into it. A little frown appeared on his forehead every time he missed a note by a hair. Harry was mesmerized and before even thinking about it he brought the camera to his face and lined up the shot before pulling the button like a trigger. 

 

Louis looked up, alarmed at the sound of the click.

 

‘Jesus!’ He exclaimed, clutching the sheet music to his chest. ‘You scared to me death, you creep!’ He added, leaning on the wall. ‘Do you always go around taking creepy pictures of unsuspecting people?’

 

‘It wouldn’t be a good picture if I let you know I was taking it.’ Harry defended trying out for his usual teasing tone, but with Louis’ song still playing on loop in his head he couldn’t muster it.

 

‘Well it’s creepy. And a huge invasion of privacy.’ Louis said defensively.

 

‘It’s not an invasion of privacy. We were given permission to shoot rehearsals, and it looked like you were rehearsing.’ He noted, amused.

 

‘Well no one was supposed to hear that. There was a reason I hid in the darkest corner now wasn’t there?’ Louis snapped, a little blush covering his cheeks. 

 

Harry thought for a second of saying something like ‘Aw are you embarrassed darling?’ but the words didn’t want to leave his mouth. Instead he stepped closer to Louis, and touched his arm softly.

 

‘Everyone should hear that.’ He said forcefully. ‘It was beautiful.’ He added more softly, looking at Louis, waiting for him to look up. When he did, he was smirking madly.

 

‘I should probably record that to torture you later.’ He teased.

 

‘Well just because you can sing doesn’t mean you’re any less annoying.’ Harry smiled, his words missing their usual bite. 

 

‘Tell that to me again after opening night.’ Louis said a little breathless. Harry opened his mouth with some undeniably smartass retort but Louis stepped back and repeated while gathering his stuff. ‘No, I mean it. Tell this to me again after opening night.’ He said it like it was a dare and with a wink, disappeared around the corner. 

 

After a few hours, Harry was sitting on the subway car with the huge smile cutting his face in half. He had spent the whole day working with an accomplished photographer and  professional equipment when all he had thought would possibly happen was an interview. The whole day seemed like a dream more than reality. 

 

He stepped out of the subway, the evening air hitting his cheeks, and he saw the neons of the tattoo parlor in the distance, big bright ZAHN calling him home. He stopped by the pizza place on the corner to order Zayn’s favourite and after picking up some beer walked home with a skip to his step. 

 

‘Z!’ He yelled, opening the doors.

 

‘In here!’ 

 

He stepped inside seeing Zayn laying on the couch and smoking a cigarette with his head hanging upside down. 

 

‘How did it go?’ He asked tentatively. ‘Is this a pity pizza or a victory pizza? ‘Cause if this is a pity pizza I have a lot of questions. For example, where were you for the past almost 12 hours?’ Zayn said almost in one breath.

 

‘It’s a victory pizza.’ Harry allowed with a soft smile, which prompted Zayn to freeze before jumping from the couch and crushing Harry in a hug.

 

‘Oh my god, Haz! I’m so proud of you - this is incredible! You just got a job on the spot?’ He asked, still holding Harry by his waist and jumping around, excited. 

 

‘Kinda.’ Harry said shyly.

 

‘See! oh my God Haz, I told you you’re good! Tell me everything!’

 

They sat on the couch, Zayn flipping the closed sign saying that it would be dead in there all night anyway. Harry recalled every detail of the day, munching on a pizza as Zayn listened intently to his every word.

 

For a second it was just like the good old times when it was just the two of them against the world. No matter how much Harry loved their friends, it was still best with just the two of them.

 

‘Thank you for making me go.’ He said softly out of the blue while Zayn was still laughing about what Harry had said earlier.

 

Zayn looked at him, his laugh stopping abruptly, and smiled fondly. ‘Welcome. That’s what I’m here for. To kick your ass into doing the right thing.’ He smirked.

 

‘Asshole.’ Harry murmured, throwing a piece of pizza at Zayn.

 

‘Not my hair!’ Zayn squealed making Harry burst out with laughter and roll over the floor, Zayn soon joining him. 

 

‘Having fun boys?’ They heard above them and saw Jade and Perrie stepping inside the tattoo parlour. Perrie’s hand snuck down Jade’s arm to intertwine their fingers, a gesture that caught everyone’s attention except for the person it was meant for. Zayn was busy studying his hair in the front camera of his phone, making sure Harry hadn’t messed it up permanently.

 

‘Look who we have here.’ Zayn smirked, leaning on his hands and looking up to both girls.

 

‘Hello Zayn.’ Jade said a little hesitantly, like she was not sure how to act around him. So she had figured it out too. It seemed like everyone had except for Zayn.

 

‘Hi Jade.’ Harry waved, interrupting the tension before it got too much. ‘I saw Louis and Niall today.’ 

 

‘Really, where?’ She asked while Perrie handed her a beer and they both sat down. 

 

‘I was at the photo shoot at NYADA. I got a job as James Corden’s photograph assistant.’

 

‘Holy shit.’ Jade exclaimed just as Perrie squealed, excited, and threw her arms around Harry’s neck in congratulations. ‘Seriously?! You work with James Corden?!’ 

 

‘Just got the job today.’ Zayn beamed proudly at Harry.

 

‘Congratulations.’ Jade nodded at him. ‘Did you talk to Louis or Niall?’ She asked casually.

 

‘I did.’ Harry nodded. ‘Niall is great.’ 

 

‘He’s really hot.’ Zayn mused, lighting up another cigarette.

 

‘He’s not hotter than Louis.’ Perrie commented offhandedly under her breath.

 

‘Oh please, I saw him for about three minutes and still he talks way too much for my liking.’ Zayn groaned. ‘I like them… softer. more bashful.’ He smirked like the devil himself. ‘In bed at least.’ He finished with a self-satisfied smile.

 

‘Do you mind?’ Jade asked with a raised eyebrow. ‘If you absolutely have to objectify my friends could you at least not do it while I’m sitting right here?’

 

‘Babe, we're just joking.’ Perrie said, placating her.

 

‘I’m not.’ Zayn said under his breath.

 

‘Harry, a little help here?’ Perrie said pointedly.

 

‘If you think I’m getting involved in whatever this is, you're crazy.’ He beamed sweetly at Perrie who huffed, making Jade laugh and effectively defusing the situation.

 

‘We should go out and celebrate!’ Perrie said, completely changing the subject.

 

‘I should get back home soon. I have work early in the morning.’ Jade smiled softly.

 

‘And we're kind of already celebrating?’ Zayn said deadly offended, pointing towards the pizza and beer. 

 

‘This is not celebrating.’ Perrie denied. ‘This is just sad.’ 

 

‘I like it.’ Harry shrugged. ‘But we can get wasted some other time.’ He added to appease her. ‘But James needs me tomorrow in the studio and I don’t want to come in hung over on my second day.’

 

‘Fine. If you’re such wet blankets,’ Perrie huffed.

 

‘Next time, Pez?’ Jade asked, smiling softly at Perrie. ‘I should go home now. It was nice to see you guys.’ She added, waving to them as Perrie escorted her to the door.

 

‘I think I’ll call it a night too.’ Harry said standing up. 

 

‘You sure? We can watch a movie? Make some popcorn, huh?’ Zayn said, wiggling his eyebrows.

 

‘Nah, I should get some sleep if you don’t mind.’ Harry smiled, picking up empty pizza boxes and a few cans of beer. 

 

‘Okay, in that case I am going out. I made plans with Jackie.’ Zayn grinned just as Perrie stepped back inside the room.

 

‘Oh I didn’t know! Sorry if I kept you too long.’ Harry said.

 

‘No! Are you kidding? I wrote to her that I don’t know whether I’m gonna make it. There is nothing more important than my little brother.’ Zayn said softly, flicking Harry’s nose. ‘I’m really really proud of you, baby bro.’ He added, a little choked down.

 

‘Thanks Z.’ Harry whispered softly, giving him a one armed hug. ‘Go have fun!’ He exclaimed then, laughing softly. 

 

Zayn patted his pockets to check if he had everything in place and after grabbing his wallet walked out, stopping by Perrie to give her a kiss on the cheek. After the door closed after him Perrie moved there and locked up for the night. She turned the key twice, then slowly she put the chain on. She checked if the door was closed by tugging on the handle, and when there was nothing left to do, she rested her head on the door, trying to stop her head from spinning and her stomach from twisting in knots.

 

‘You should just tell him.’ Harry said from behind her as she let the coldness of the metal door soothe her for another minute before she straightened up and turned around to look at her friend.

 

‘Why? We both know he doesn’t like me like that.’ She said resigned.

 

‘Maybe he doesn’t. But knowing has to be better than what you’re doing right now.’ 

 

Perrie looked at him, pretending to be deep in thought before saying, ‘Nope. Let me live in the land of denial.’ She smiled bitterly.

 

‘It’s not good for you. You’ll start to hate him sooner or later and it’s not his fault.’ Harry pressed on, getting a tad annoyed with the situation.

 

‘What about me, huh? I am the one who is pitifully in love with him, so excuse me for thinking about me first.’ She snapped.

 

‘I’m not saying this just because of him! I’m saying this because of you, too. You have a chance to move on with someone and be happy. This is the first time I saw you bring someone around since you started sleeping with Zayn. But you won’t be able to commit to her if you think that there’s any chance at all of you and Zayn working out.’ 

 

‘I like her. I really, really like her.’ Perrie said seriously. ‘But I’m in love with him.’ She added desperately. ‘And I've been willing that to go away for years now. Guess what?! It’s not going anywhere. I don’t think getting rejected and making things awkward for all of us will change that fact. The only thing that would change is the level of my humiliation, which, thanks, is already off the charts.’ She mocked. 

 

‘Doing nothing won’t help either.’ Harry noted quietly.

 

‘Well, that’s all I’ve got!’ She exclaimed, throwing her hands out. Harry stood still, taken aback by her outburst.

 

They had never talked about it before. Zayn and Harry had met Perrie a few years back. She had been looking for a cheap place to stay and a job, and they were looking for someone to help run a tattoo parlour and pay rent. It was a win-win situation from the beginning. She had blended with them seamlessly and Harry, who was always so jealous about sharing Zayn’s attention with anyone else, found himself not caring when Zayn and Perrie started to spend more time together. He realised after a few months that they were hooking up, but he never thought of questioning Zayn. In his head, Zayn could do no wrong. And for a while it worked like that. Before Harry noticed how Perrie’s gaze lingered on the door every time Zayn left the room, or how she followed him with her eyes when he was moving around some club chatting people up. It didn’t take him long to put two and two together. Day after day the way she felt about him got more and more obvious to the point where Zayn was the only one blind to what was going on.

 

‘Do you know how it’s like? To be in love with someone that much? And know that they don’t feel the same way? You constantly hope that there is something you can do to just convince them, that if you stopped doing that, or start doing that other thing, suddenly something will click and they will love you back. And when it’s someone you’re fucking currently it’s even harder to tell reality from dreams. Because you get so caught up with being friends and screwing that you don’t realise that it’s not romantic. So you build this whole relationship all in your head and then they say ‘I made plans with Jackie’ or ‘I have an appointment with Luke’ and you're reminded once again that they are not yours to keep.’ She said, her voice shaking.

 

‘And I swear to God old people of the world always say how dramatic teenagers are, and  _ how badly can you hurt when you're barely 20’  _ she parroted in a high pitched voice that sounded strangely like her mother or that you’ll meet someone else and this will feel like nothing,’ She added starting to get fired up, speaking really fast and not even looking at Harry anymore. ‘But right now? Right now it doesn’t feel like nothing. It feels like he is ripping…’ She started to cry. ‘...ripping my heart out with his bare hands and I can’t… breathe…’ She finished, sobbing while Harry jumped to envelope her in his arms.

 

‘Old people can go to hell.’ He murmured in her hair. ‘You're allowed to feel when you have your heart broken.’ He soothed quietly. ‘Shh I know. I get it. I get it.’ He added, rocking her back and forth softly.

 

‘Do you though? Do you get it?’ She asked strangely serious, stepping back and wiping her eyes. 

 

‘No.’ He allowed after a minute of hesitation. ‘I don't think I’ve ever loved anyone besides Zayn.’ He finished, his words prompting a bitter laugh to force it’s way out of Perrie’s angelic face. Even with tattoos, piercings, and crazy hair colours she still resembled a Disney princess more than anyone he knew. Her warmth left Harry’s side completely as she began to exit the room before she turned around, throwing over her shoulder:

 

‘Yeah. Me neither.’ 


End file.
